All-in-all, the City will take delivery of 38 low-floor battery-electric buses as part of the roll-out of the MyCiTi bus service to the metro-south east.

‘I was at the depot when the seven buses arrived earlier this week, and it was a very exciting moment. Given the steep diesel prices in particular, we cannot wait to see the difference the e-fleet will make in the operational expenditure where these buses operate. Some countries operating e-buses have noted a reduction of up to 70% in operating costs,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas.

The fleet comprises 12-metre Volvo BZRLE battery-electric buses, the first MyCiTi buses where the bodies have been designed in South Africa and locally manufactured in Gauteng. The passenger capacity for these buses is 59.

‘The e-bus fleet also supports the City’s transition towards a cleaner, more sustainable public transport system that is not only more cost-effective to operate and maintain, but more resilient. The operating data we will collect over time will help us quantify the benefits we can get from an e-fleet and inform future deployment decisions that will keep Capetonians moving,’ said Councillor Quintas.

• If all goes as planned, the fleet of 21 e-buses will be deployed as part of the N2 Express service that operates along the N2 highway, and serve commuters from Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.
• Other routes will also be considered to align available capacity with demand

The acquisition of more battery-electric buses remains a strategic priority for the City, but will depend on the availability of future funding from the National Government.